Calhoun County, Michigan
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 26025 · population 134,279 · 706 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 532 records for Calhoun County, Michigan from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 371 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (286 records). The deadliest single record is the December 1, 2007 winter storm, filed for the forecast zone Branch, which covers the county: 1 death and 7 injuries. FEMA has issued 9 declarations naming the county since 1972, 6 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Hurricane Katrina Evacuation” on September 7, 2005.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 532on 371 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 239 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $94Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 9latest 2020
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Calhoun County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 286 since 1956. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Michigan's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 286 | 203 | 1956-2026 | 1 | 10 | $49M | 12 of 83 |
| Winter storms | 115 | 89 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 8 | $5.5M | 52 of 83 |
| Hail | 77 | 61 | 1963-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.8M | 24 of 83 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 16 | 1997-2021 | 0 | 0 | $18M | 33 of 83 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 18 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 21 | $11M | 28 of 83 |
| Floods | 13 | 11 | 2000-2013 | 0 | 0 | $9.5M | 47 of 83 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 2 | 2 | 1999-2021 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 83 |
| Lightning | 1 | 1 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | $20K | 61 of 83 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Calhoun County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Calhoun County from 1964 to 2026, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 21 injuries recorded in the county. That is 28th of 83 Michigan counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 19 tornadoes whose track touched Calhoun County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991-03-27 18:00, as SPC files it | Olivet | F3 | 2 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Michigan.
Every tornado record filed for Calhoun County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-06 | Tekonsha, Calhoun County | EF0 2.75 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-15 | St Marys Lake, Calhoun County | EF0 8.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-02-28 | Marshall, Calhoun County | EF1 5.79 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $941K |
| 2010-06-05 | Springfield Place, Calhoun County | EF1 1.62 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.7M |
| 2003-07-20 | Battle Creek, Calhoun County | F1 8 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2002-07-27 | Ft Custer, Calhoun County | F1 1.5 mi x 800 yd | 0 | 0 | $369K |
| 1998-06-12 | Bedford, Calhoun County | F1 2.5 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $91K |
| 1991-03-27 | Calhoun County | F3 2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 18 | $250K step |
| 1989-08-05 | Calhoun County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1986-09-10 | Calhoun County | F1 3.8 mi x 223 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1986-07-15 | Calhoun County | F2 22.5 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-05-18 | Calhoun County | F0 13 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1982-06-15 | Calhoun County | F1 1.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1981-04-17 | Calhoun County | F0 0.6 mi x 27 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1980-05-30 | Calhoun County | F1 3.3 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-04-22 | Calhoun County | F1 0.3 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-03-20 | Calhoun County | F1 6.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1964-08-22 | Calhoun County | F1 7.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Calhoun County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 25, 2024 thunderstorm wind ($470,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Wind gusts to near 70 mph brought down scattered power lines and trees countywide.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1189963)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindKellog Airport Btl, Calhoun County | 64 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindCeresco, Calhoun County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindAlbion Lndg, Calhoun County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-04-14 | Thunderstorm WindLee Center, Calhoun County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | TornadoTekonsha, Calhoun County | EF0 2.75 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | Thunderstorm WindTekonsha, Calhoun County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | Thunderstorm WindBurlington, Calhoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-06 | HailAthens, Calhoun County | 1.25 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-11-29 | Winter StormCalhoun County · forecast zone Calhoun | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-26 | Winter StormCalhoun County · forecast zone Calhoun | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindLee Center, Calhoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-15 | Thunderstorm WindOak Park, Calhoun County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-12-01 | Winter StormBranch County and Calhoun County · forecast zone Branch A brief burst of light to moderate snow, mixed at times with sleet during the evening hours switched over to freezing rain into the early morning hours of the 2nd. Ice accumulations of a tenth to quarted inch coated trees, power lines and roads. More than 2 dozen slide offs and accidents were reported in and around ... | 1 | 7 | – | |
| 1998-06-12 | Thunderstorm WindPennfield, Calhoun County The same supercell thunderstorm which produced the F1 tornado in northwest Calhoun County produced a wet microburst as it moved across Pennfield Township. The downburst caused one fatality and 2 injuries approximately 1/2 mile south of Pennfield High School, just east of the Battle Creek River in the vicinity of Pony ... | 1 | 2 | $905K | |
| 1991-03-27 | TornadoCalhoun County | F3 2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 18 | $250K step |
| 2001-10-24 | Thunderstorm WindTekonsha, Calhoun County A major severe weather episode occurred across southern lower Michigan, highlighted by three supercell thunderstorms that caused extensive damage. The first supercell storm moved into southwest Kalamazoo county just southwest of Schoolcraft. This storm moved northeast at 50 to 55 m.p.h. across Kalamazoo, extreme ... | 80 kt wind | 0 | 6 | $1.8M |
| 1964-08-22 | TornadoCalhoun County | F1 7.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 2011-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindWest Leroy, Calhoun County The bowing segment of a line echo wave pattern caused extensive damage to homes, businesses, and utilities on the south side of Battle Creek along E Columbia Ave. Approximately 600 homes were damaged with 76 of those homes having been destroyed. Also, 21 businesses were damaged of which 4 were destroyed. To the north ... | 87 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $33M |
| 2007-01-14 | Ice StormBranch County and Calhoun County · forecast zone Branch Tree limbs and power lines were down due to the accumulation of around one half inch of ice across the county. One injury was reported in Bronson where a large limb fell into a car pinning the driver. The severity of the injuries were not available. | 0 | 1 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-05-29 | Thunderstorm WindWest Leroy, Calhoun County | 87 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $33M |
| 2010-06-05 | TornadoSpringfield Place, Calhoun County | EF1 1.62 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.7M |
| 2014-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindKellog Airport Btl, Calhoun County | 74 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.5M |
| 1997-10-26 | Heavy SnowCalhoun County · forecast zone Calhoun | 0 | 0 | $2.2M | |
| 2003-07-20 | TornadoBattle Creek, Calhoun County | F1 8 mi x 880 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 2001-10-24 | Thunderstorm WindTekonsha, Calhoun County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 6 | $1.8M |
| 2011-11-29 | Winter StormCalhoun County · forecast zone Calhoun | 0 | 0 | $1.3M | |
| 2024-02-28 | TornadoMarshall, Calhoun County | EF1 5.79 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $941K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 27, 1991 (tornado, Calhoun County); August 22, 1964 (tornado, Calhoun County); July 15, 1986 (tornado, Calhoun County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Calhoun County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 6 | 24 | 15 | 43 | 56 | 78 | 29 | 35 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 35 | 46 | 25 | 9 |
| Hail | 0 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 26 | 20 | 8 | 5 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 10 | 4 | 1 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 0 | 8 | 5 | 0 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1956 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 34 · Feb 32 · Mar 44 · Apr 31 · May 65 · Jun 87 · Jul 83 · Aug 58 · Sep 28 · Oct 12 · Nov 17 · Dec 41 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Calhoun County
FEMA's register lists 9 declarations that include Calhoun County: 4 major disasters, 5 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for snowstorm (3) and biological (2).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-03-27 | DR-4494 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3455 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2005-09-07 | EM-3225 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
| 2003-09-23 | EM-3189 | Other | Power Outage |
| 2001-01-10 | EM-3160 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 1980-09-08 | DR-631 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-01-27 | EM-3057 | Snowstorm | Blizzards & Snowstorms |
| 1975-04-26 | DR-465 | Flood | Severe Storms, High Winds & Flooding |
| 1972-04-05 | DR-330 | Snowstorm | Severe Storm & Freezing |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Calhoun County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 13 flood or flash flood records for Calhoun County from 2000 to 2013, on 11 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Calhoun County ranks 1569th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $227,000 on 60 claims filed in Calhoun County; the most in one year was 10 in 2008. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 2 · 1980: 1 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 3 · 1985: 2 · 1989: 4 · 1991: 2 · 1992: 1 · 1998: 1 · 2000: 1 · 2001: 4 · 2004: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2008: 10 · 2009: 1 · 2010: 2 · 2011: 3 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 5 · 2016: 1 · 2017: 4 · 2018: 3 · 2020: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2025: 1; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Calhoun County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Calhoun County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $34.5 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $4.3M | 4.9 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $1.7M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $6.6M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $17M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $2.9M | 2.3 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $248K | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $127K | 18 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $689K | once in about 957 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Calhoun County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in MichiganEvery Michigan tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in MichiganThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Michigan recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Calhoun CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Calhoun County's FEMA declarations (CSV)9 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis